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shoulders, and reached for the ornate lion’s-head knocker at the center of the front door. Made of solid brass, it appeared to be growling a warning. Diana had to summon considerable willpower and no small amount of muscle in order to lift the ominous-looking thing. It felt cold to the touch and fell back onto the wood with a resounding thump.
    Nothing happened.
    She repeated the effort several times, stopping in between to listen for any hint of activity within the house. The thickness of the oak masked any footfalls. She tried turning the knob but the door was locked.
      Reluctant to leave cover, she lingered on the porch, but she knew she’d have to venture out of its shelter sooner or later. With extreme caution, alert for any sound that might indicate the presence of armed men, Diana made her way around the side of the house. She kept as close to the wall as she could, given the presence of a variety of flowering bushes.
    At first she heard nothing but a gentle breeze ruffling the leaves and the occasional raucous call of a gull, but as she approached the rear of the mansion, she became aware of an odd ringing sound. Metal on metal, she thought, and her imagination called up the image of a hammer and anvil. Puzzled, she stopped at the corner of the house. Uncertain what she would find, Diana first glanced over her shoulder, then edged forward until she could peer beyond the end of the shrubbery.
    She gasped at the sight that met her startled gaze. That clashing sound was steel striking steel. Two men armed with rapiers thrust and parried their way across an expanse of green lawn. Blinding sunlight glanced off their blades, making it difficult for her to see exactly what was happening, but the little she could make out filled her with a terrible fear. One of the men was Ben, and as she watched he stumbled and lost his grip on his weapon.
    “I’ve got you now, Northcote!” the other combatant cried. With deadly intent, the gleaming length of steel in his hand descended toward Ben’s chest.
    “No!” Diana screamed.
    Ben’s opponent pulled back, whirling around to stare at her.
    Diana ran full tilt across the grass, reaching him before he could resume his attack. Without stopping to think of the danger to herself, she swung her gripsack at him, striking him on the shoulder. He swore at her and dropped his weapon. Her second blow caught him on the side of the head, causing him to fall to his knees. She followed up with a kick, wincing in pain when her toe connected with his chest.
    “Diana! Enough!” Ben’s strong arms caught her about the waist, hauling her away from the other man. “Are you all right, Graham?”
    Diana twisted her head around until she could see Ben’s face. His eyes gleamed. His mustache trembled and his lips twitched. He was trying very hard not to laugh !
    With dawning dismay, Diana realized she had misinterpreted what she had seen. Relief battled with chagrin. Ben had been in no danger. And she had just struck down his oldest friend. A wave of embarrassment engulfed her, heating her cheeks, but she forced herself to face Graham Somener.
    He’d retrieved his rapier and staggered to his feet. Clutching the side of his head with one hand, he raised the blade with the other, fully prepared to use it to defend himself. A ferocious expression distorted his face. Suddenly terrified, Diana took shelter behind Ben’s reassuring bulk. The breath backing up in her throat made speech impossible.
    Ben spoke sharply: “Graham, enough!”
    The enraged expression vanished, but just to be on the safe side, Ben reached out and confiscated the fencing foil. Only then did Diana realize that she’d never been in any real danger. Nor had he. The point of the weapon was blunted with a leather button.
    Even knowing she was safe, Diana’s insides quivered like freshly unmolded gelatin. Her hands trembled, too, and in a moment she feared she’d be shaking all over. To avoid that ignominious fate, she